[Kenneykickin]

N54. I can not get the bolt back into the hole under the manifold for the N54. It threads in thanngets very hard about 3/4 down and I don’t want strip. I bought all nee bolts with the kit old and new one do same thing

[Kenneykickin]

Maybe I’m being a wimp.. but I don’t want strip anything

[Serf27]

They turn by hand until they hit the OFH surface.
Check for any dirt that fell in there?
The bolts are different sizes. Are you using the correct bolt in that location?
Came out like normal?

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

What you're doing is very smart. Do not turn further if there's a lot of resistance. That head is aluminum and you absolutely do not want to mess it up. Check the threads and make sure they're clean. Be sure you're using the correct bolts in the correct place.

[NGEE]

I had a bolt on my subframe bind like that because the frame was unwieldy and misaligned. Then I made the mistake of trying to run it in. After I'd fixed the bolt hole threads in the body frame, I made sure to run each of the bolts in by hand just to assure myself there were no problems. I continued to have the alignment problem. I got the job done by enlarging the subframe hole to gain more play and eliminate binding, and then tightening all bolts slowly in a pattern.

If it were me, I'd take the intake manifold and OFH back off, and see if you can run that bolt in by hand. If not, I'd make sure you have the right bolt, and if so then get some thread chaser/cleaning tools. Once you are sure that all bolts can be run in by hand, then if they bind when you attach the OFH, you know you have an alignment problem.

[kkasson]

Good advice above - make sure it's the right bolt (length) and check if it can thread in easily if you remove the housing again.

If everything looks right but it just won't thread in (you can try to check the threads visually and see if there's any damage) you can get a thread chaser to try to clean the threads. I'd recommend using a thread chaser and not a tap; a tap will cut through whatever is there and might make it worse but a thread chaser will attempt to reshape the existing threads.

You can also try to gently use a ratchet to see if it will make it past the obstruction - try only holding it by the head and don't use the handle. You don't want to apply any leverage but sometimes it's too hard to turn strictly by hand but putting the socket on will give you just a tiny bit more power to clean it up. Stop if you still feel any resistance.

[mainbearing]

I had a similar problem with NGEE's subframe bolt hole (https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1690933). In my case it was fixed by a tap, but a less aggressive thread chaser is better.

Therefore I would carefully try a thread chaser on it. A chaser is less aggressive than a tap and works more by "pushing" the metal back in position. Whereas a tap "cuts" away more.

If the hole is a through hole, then use the chaser from the other open end for better thread alignment. Sometime if the thread is more buggered up a chaser will work past it, then out bring my tap.

[Kenneykickin]

I blew out the head with compressed air and some anti seize on the bolt. The bolts in picture show a new bolt and an old bolt. The new ones threads may have been a little bigger/healthier and was slightly tougher to get in. I should have cleaned the bolt off too sanded around the threads and hit with brake cleaner or something who knows may have went in better.

But it’s all in I finally got it in. But it was extremely nerve wrecking on the worries of stripping the head.. it would defintely need to be towed to a shop at that point as my skills are not on that level to repair a stripped/gailed or whatever head.

Yes was using all correct length bolts (new) I did remove the housing and tried to thread in without. Same thing got to same point than got extremely hard I was like woah this isn’t right..

Btw, I was an idiot and did go past resistance WITH A RATCHeT. Only because it did start off really easy being able to twist with hand than got more and more hard as it was getting closer to seating so I did go past a little and than realized this is WAY more than 22nm and stopped right away. This is an extremely dumb part of my end..

Thanks for all the replies, I’ll have to look into a thread chaser for future uses. Sounds like it can be a life saver.